The invention relates to fishing gear and particularly to spinning type apparatus. Prior art fly fishing apparatus utilizes a line having a relatively large mass together with a fishing rod which is employed with a specialized technique for casting a fly onto or into a body of water. Such techniques are not suitable for use with spinning equipment because the mass of the line is not sufficient for casting flys and the like. In addition the bulk of the line typically used for fly fishing is undesirable since it is prejudicial to the necessary smooth flow of line from the spinning reel spool. Lines typically used for spinning are nylon monofilament of small diameter. Prior art apparatus has included various weights which have been fixed to the fishing line. In one form of a spherical plastic body is fixed to the line which has a removable plug. The body may be filled with varying amounts of water which will control whether the sphere will float or sink when cast upon the water.
One problem associated with such fixed weights which are normally fixed to the line relatively close to the end thereof, is that a substantial amount of noise and wake are produced by the weight not only upon impact with the water but also if the line is manipulated to impart motion to a fly or other bait. The latter aspect is particularly acute when it is desired to use a dry fly which floats uon the surface of the water. It will be seen that a floating mass disposed in proximity to the dry fly will produce a substantial amount of wake not only because of its shape but because of its necessary position proximate to the fly. Those skilled in the art will understand that dry flies float on the surface of water due to surface tension and that once the dry fly is pulled under the water that it will no longer float.
It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus which will allow the use of spinning tackle to cast dry flies, wet flies and live bait and which will have a minimum sound and wake produced during the cast.
It is a further object to provide such apparatus which will not tend to drag a dry fly beneath the surface of the water.
It is another object of the invention to provide such apparatus which will allow movement of the fly or other bait after the cast with a minimum amount of wake being produced.